Page 50 of Hearts Aweigh

A BBY EXITED THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM of the Imperial Suite and checked on Maddie. She was playing with a pair of dolls in the living room. Her happy voice chattered as she improvised their conversation.

“Sweetie,” Abby called. “I’ll be gone for a while, but your grandma will be here with you.”

“Okay, Abby.” Maddie ran over with her dolls. “You look pretty.”

“Not as pretty as you.” She tweaked Maddie’s cheek.

Outside the windows, the last traces of sunlight dipped below the watery horizon and the more valiant stars were twinkling in the evening sky.

Abby rested one hand against the couch and slipped on a pair of pink patent leather heels.

They perfectly matched her new pedicure.

She flexed her ankle with trepidation. No pain. What a relief.

Dr. Grant didn’t tower over her like some people she knew. His lean five-foot-ten frame would be much friendlier to her neck. Especially when she was wearing heels. Would he like her outfit?

Abby passed a mirror and smoothed an errant curl into her French twist. Her white eyelet sundress was modest yet attractive. The ruffled shoulder straps lent a dainty, feminine air. Not bad.

Maddie’s tears had suckered her into spending more time in this royal prison, but she didn’t intend to miss her date. At least half the female employees on the boat had a crush on sweet and dreamy Dr. Grant.

The front door clicked, and Spencer entered, talking on the phone.

“That’s right, Baptiste. Make sure he’s comfortable with the switch.

I’ve always represented their company cases.

Yes, I—” He halted at the sight of her, scanned her outfit, and continued.

“I’ll also call him personally to soothe his concerns. ”

Abby settled on the couch beside Maddie. The girl pulled a cushion over and propped her dolls on top.

Spencer finished his call, settled in the chair opposite them, and sat with one leg crossed over the other. “You’re all dressed up, Abby.”

She smoothed her skirt around her knees. “It’s my break time.”

He gave a stoic nod. “I’ll stay with Maddie until you return.”

“Thank you, but your mother should be here soon. I’ll be back in two hours.”

“Two hours?” Spencer noted a tinge of desperation in his voice and cleared his throat. “You took forty-five minutes last time.”

“Yes, sir. But I have important business that requires longer.”

“What business?”

“The Shippers found a new candidate.”

Her casual announcement raked an irritating path through his brain. Couldn’t his mother and her matchmaking friends do normal senior activities to amuse themselves? Why not take up knitting? Collecting recipes? Canasta?

He feigned a playful tone. “Not another minister?”

“I’ve got a date with the ship’s doctor.”

The doctor? An attractive profession to someone with marriage on her mind. He drummed his fingers against his knee. “How can you wholeheartedly hand your future to a bunch of meddlers?”

“Don’t call them that.” Abby’s eyes glinted. “I’ve seen how good the Shippers are at making matches.” She glanced away. “They might not always get it right, but they don’t give up.” Her gaze met his. “And neither do I. In the past, I may have dated a few flops, but I still want to get married.”

Spencer blinked at her unabashed statement. “Why?”

“Why?” Abby blinked back. “Do I need a reason? Most people want to get married, don’t they?”

“I suppose.” Spencer’s upper lip lifted at one corner. “But I wouldn’t recommend it. I speak from personal experience when I say it isn’t the lifelong honeymoon the romance novels portray.”

Abby placed her hands over Madeleine’s ears. “You shouldn’t say those things in front of Maddie. I’m sure she loves her mother.”

“I doubt she could pick Priscilla out of a crowd. From the day she was born, Madeleine spent the majority of her time with nurses and nannies. My ex-wife was never the nurturing type. Too busy with parties and social gatherings and lunches at the country club. She remembered she was a parent when she required an accessory for the annual mother-daughter fashion show.”

“I’m thirsty,” Maddie exclaimed.

She waited until Abby removed her hands, then hopped off the couch and ran to the kitchen. After opening the fridge, she grabbed a bottle of water from inside, shut the door, and unscrewed the bottle cap.

Abby watched her with a smile. “I can’t fathom anyone ignoring Maddie. She’s too precious. I want one exactly like her.”

“These days, you can have children without the old-fashioned trappings of matrimony.”

“Not in my family.” Abby’s nose crinkled. “My father would tan my hide from Tampa to Tallahassee.”

“So you want to get married for the kids?”

“Not just kids. The whole thing. The till-death-do-us-part promise that you’ll have someone on your side through thick and thin.

I’m not so starry-eyed that I regard myself as incomplete without my ‘other half.’ But if you had the choice between completing a huge challenge alone or with a partner, wouldn’t you pick the partner?

Is there any greater challenge than life? ”

“As long as your partner doesn’t end up being deadweight.”

She huffed. “I can see we’ll never agree.”

“Well, until you find this ‘other half’”—Spencer made air quotes with his fingers—“why wish for a child exactly like Madeleine when she’s available?

If you agree to be her governess, you can share your motherly affection with her and get paid well while doing it.

Then you can take your time finding Mr. Right. ”

“No, thank you, sir.”

Again with the “sir.” What had he done to make her testy?

He propped his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers in front of his mouth. “It hasn’t escaped my notice you’ve adopted a more formal tone with me.”

“Just maintaining professional boundaries. We’ve both struggled with that in the past.”

A red flag waved in Spencer’s brain. Boundaries. There was one definite time where neither of them maintained their boundaries. He lowered his hands and sat straighter. “Are you referring to a specific instance?”

She averted her eyes. “Let’s just say you can save Maddie’s step stool for toothbrushing time.”

He knew it. She was still upset about their kiss at the pathetic waterfall the Shippers insisted on visiting.

He must not have made his regret clear that night on the beach.

A muscle popped in his jaw. He swallowed and leaned forward in the chair.

“Abby, I deeply apologize if I’ve offended you. I didn’t mean—”

“No apologies necessary. We’ll split the blame fifty-fifty and leave it at that.”

He might have argued, but his daughter returned, plopped down on the couch, and curled up by the woman’s side.

“Be careful, Madeleine,” Spencer said. “Ms. O’Brien won’t want to be wrinkled when she leaves for her date.”

“Sorry.” Madeleine scooted away.

Abby glared at him. “Don’t worry, Maddie.” She placed an arm around her charge. “A hug from you is worth a million wrinkles.”

Madeleine relaxed against her. “Are you going away?”

“Yes, but I’ll be back.” She extended a finger. “I pinky-promise I’ll tuck you in bed. Okay?”

Madeleine hooked her finger with Abby’s. “Okay.”

The touching exchange roiled Spencer’s gut. How could he ever find someone else to treat his daughter with the same amount of love? There was no one better than Abby. And he’d ruined everything. Because of one ill-timed kiss, he’d driven away the perfect person to help him raise Madeleine.

Despite his diligent efforts, he’d turned out like his father. Hurting the people around him without realizing or caring.

God? Spencer slumped in his seat. How do I fix this mess?

The doorbell chimed, and Abby stood. “There’s my replacement. I figured this would be an excellent time for Maddie to spend time with her grandmother.”

She crossed the room and opened the door, but more than Daisy entered. The whole Shipper passel invaded his suite in a noisy, unrestrained herd.

Emily led the group. “Look at this living room.”

Gerry pulled her notebook and pen from her pocket. “Who knew they made cabins the size of airplane hangars?”

“This must be what heaven’s like.” Althea started to sing, “ Glory, glory, hallelujah! Since I laid my burdens down. ”

His mother ignored the suite and moved in a lithe, fluid motion to sit beside Madeleine.

“Grandma!” His daughter wrapped her arms around Daisy’s neck.

Abby stood behind them with an approving smile.

His mother cuddled Madeleine. “Hello, sugar. You look so pretty today.”

Spencer noted the lopsided bow on his daughter’s dress, purple sneakers, and a tuft of hair sticking out from her head, but Daisy made no attempt to fix it.

He had countless memories of his mother straightening his jacket and smoothing his hair, advising him to behave with decorum.

The difference between that woman and the one who sat before him was astonishing.

“Mercy!” Althea wandered to the eating area. “Come check out this kitchen, girls. It’s bigger than two of our cabins put together.”

The marble-topped island in the center held a platter with an assortment of fruits, cheeses, and pastries.

“Mmm-mmm.” Althea popped a strawberry in her mouth. “Where’s the bathroom? I bet the commode has a solid gold toilet seat.”

Abby swiped her phone from the end table. “Thanks for coming, ladies. I’m off to my date.”

“We’ll say a prayer.” Emily took a seat in the armchair near Daisy.

“Hold on a minute.” Spencer scrambled to his feet. “How long will you be gone?”

“I told you.” She headed for the front door. “Two hours.”

He checked his watch. “So you’ll be back at 8:06 p.m.?”

She hesitated with her hand on the knob. “Yes, sir. 8:06 exactly.” She winked at Maddie. “Later, alligator.” Then she was gone.

Spencer fumed. Another crazy date cooked up by the Shippers. Hadn’t their past candidates proved they didn’t have a clue what they were doing? He scowled at the four meddlers gathered in his living room. Gerry read a book in an armchair, while the other three women fussed over Madeleine.

“You must be proud of yourselves”—he strode to their group—“finding a new date for Abby after the last dud you picked.”

“Yes.” Emily’s lip curled. “I admit our last choice was less than impressive. We should’ve known better.”

Althea snickered.

Daisy tweaked Maddie’s chin. “You look beautiful, sugar. Did Abby let you pick your own outfit?”

“I picked it all by myself.” Madeleine twirled with her arms outstretched to show off how her dress billowed. “Do you like it?”

“I love it.” Daisy clapped. “It’s a shame she can’t take care of you all the time.” Her eyes cut to Spencer. “Perhaps if someone hadn’t made an unfortunate mistake, things might have been different.”

“How do you know about that?” Spencer said. “Were you spying on us at the waterfall?”

“You poor thing.” Gerry’s dry voice filtered from behind her book. “Your mother’s not talking about the waterfall. Do you truly believe that’s the reason Abby’s mad at you?”

Not the waterfall? Was there another transgression he’d committed?

“I”—Spencer searched his memory—“I’m not sure to what you are referring.”

“Show him, Emily,” said Althea.

The head Shipper pulled a cell phone from her large handbag and tapped the screen. “I’m sending you a picture, Spencer. Take a look and then ask yourself what Abby assumed when she saw that setup.”

His phone dinged, and he checked his texts. It took a split second to understand her implication. A picture of a couple filled the screen.

Him and Abby.

It was circumstantial evidence. But the moon shining on the waves. The candles on the beach? The anticipation in Abby’s posture. They led the viewer to one conclusion. Someone was getting engaged.

Had Abby made the same deduction?

Impossible. There was no way she’d have jumped to such an assumption. After all, they’d known each other a mere two weeks at the time.

But he had kissed her at the waterfall.

And he had acted like a jealous fool when she dated another man.

Spencer groaned. There were more bridges to mend than he’d imagined. He’d start as soon as Abby returned.

At 8:06.